Guest column: At age 23, an angel among us

For many of us, 23 is the age when responsibility means learning to be self-sufficient, discovering what it is you have a knack for and learning the value of a dollar by prioritizing through the advent of an allowance-free budget.

It is an opportune time to explore new countries and cultures, further your education and ultimately plant seeds as groundwork for what can blossom into success during your 30s and 40s.

On the flip side, this foundational year is still one where an unbalanced ratio of work and play is socially acceptable. One where rowdy, endless amounts of energy, spontaneous decisions and failures are what's to be expected; and where quarter-life crises are one-dimensional and consideration of others is at a minimum.

This is not the case for one 23-year-old whose compassion, maturity and patience are truly a Godsend.

While most of us take to a blank canvas in painting our life's story, Jessie Nanci's story was a non-negotiable preconstructed piece of art from God.

This past year, her boyfriend of three-plus years was left paralyzed from the neck down after an unfortunate accident. The injury has been a life-altering incident, bringing dramatic adjustments. And while it has been a mentally and physically exhausting journey, it is one he battles through with the power of two.

Nanci's outpouring of support and evangelism is inspiring and truly rare when you remember she is just 23. After a long day of student-teaching a class of elementary students, she powers through fatigue and joins Marty O'Connor in three-hour physical therapy sessions. She puts in the extra hours, regularly blogging about O'Connor's recovery, sharing his story and harnessing support for the Marty O'Connor Foundation for Progress.

Self-sacrificing like this is unarguably beyond her years, and something that continues to amaze me.

Nanci, a fellow resident of Orange whom I met through O'Connor, has been a blessing not just to her boyfriend's life, but to those all around her. Suddenly my worries and major life changes do not seem so grave as I watch her smile with optimism, push her needs aside and be the confident cheerleader her boyfriend needs. Her love knows no boundaries. She is truly an angel.

– Alec Boyle is a lifelong resident of Orange who graduated from El Modena High School in 2007 and now attends USC. She's an exercise junkie by day and foodie by night.